Here is a good reason not to use Google, or buy Apple products:

In a rather unusual move, both Google and Apple have publicly backed the fight against “Proposition 8”, both by words as well as by donation. Proposition 8 is an initiative measure in the state of California that would ban same-sex marriages in California by amending the Constitution of the state to include that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”. Both companies gave out their reasoning for supporting the fight against ‘Prop 8’.

Google, whose headquarters are located in California, was first to object to banning same-sex marriages. The company’s founders have donated USD 140000 to the ‘No On 8‘ campaign. Sergey Brin explained:

While we respect the strongly held beliefs that people have on both sides of this argument, we see this fundamentally as an issue of equality. We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8 – we should not eliminate anyone’s fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love.

Apple, also headquartered in California, joined Google by also supporting No On 8 by donating USD 100000. The company released an official statement in support of the fight against Proposition 8, with reasons along the lines of that of Google.

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of USD 100000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights – including the right to marry – should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

As Apple notes in the statement, it was among the first companies to offer equal rights and benefits to its employees’ same-sex partners, so this move should not come as a surprise from an ideological standpoint. However, for both these companies it is very unusual to speak out so openly on such a – in most countries, at least – controversial political issue.

Californians will be able to vote on Proposition 8 during the US Presidential Elections, held on 4th November 2008.